COPD, a disease that kills one person every 10 seconds
2 minutes read
- Cleveland Clinic Weston has been the first in South Florida to offer lung valve treatment for COPD patients, since 2019.
WESTON, Florida-. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease characterised by persistently reduced airflow, with exposure to tobacco smoke as its main risk factor.
The WHO predicts that this health condition, which is not always diagnosed and can be fatal, will have become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030.
Cleveland Clinic Weston is the first hospital in South Florida to offer this treatment for patients with advanced respiratory conditions.
The procedure, offered since 2019 at Cleveland Clinic Weston, is designed to help patients with advanced COPD or emphysema breathe more easily. The procedure, which involves placing endobronchial valves in patients’ lungs, has been approved by the FDA.
“Offering this advanced lung treatment significantly improves patients’ overall quality of life,” said Rodolfo Blandon, M.D., president of Cleveland Clinic Weston. “We strive to provide the latest innovation and services, and we are pleased to be the first hospital to offer this new treatment in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Weston.”
The treatment is carried out during a bronchoscopy, a procedure that allows a doctor to examine the inside of the lungs, including the bronchi, the main airways into the lungs.
Depending on the severity of the case, an average of one to four tiny valves are placed in the airways to block off diseased parts of the lungs. The valves reduce hyperinflation by preventing air from becoming trapped in the affected area of the lung and allowing healthier parts of the lung to take in more air, relieving pressure on the diaphragm.
Dr. Sajive Aleyas, a pulmonary medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston, explained: “When a patient receives this type of treatment, there is usually isolated damage in the upper lobes of the lung, which are empty, damaged and scarred. Instead of repairing the damaged part of the lung, which is an invasive and potentially risky procedure, we place a valve in the airways of the damaged lung, causing that part of the organ to collapse.”
“Once that part of the lung collapses, it allows the healthy part of the lung to take over the space, and the patient will breathe much more efficiently,” said Dr. Sajive.
Patients with COPD may experience coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and ongoing fatigue. According to World Health Organization data, it kills one person every 10 seconds. If nothing is done to prevent it, these deaths will rise by 30 per cent over the next 30 years, making it the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030.
The good news is that COPD is treatable. If you frequently experience the symptoms described, it is important to talk to a doctor to get a proper diagnosis and determine the best treatment and course of action.